Mold adds to concerns over sheriff’s building

New mold problems discovered at the Lenawee County Sheriff’s Department add to concerns being dealt with while options are studied for replacing the building.

Mold was discovered in early January in walls behind a shelving unit that fell and behind a bulletin board, said Sheriff Jack Welsh. The mold was cleaned up right away, he said, but employees are concerned there may be more.

“We don’t know for sure. We had it retested on Friday and we’re waiting for the results,” Welsh said. Test results are expected by Wednesday, he said. Three workers in the department’s records division where the mold was found were suffering from symptoms last month that may be linked to exposure, he said.

The mold is believed to be the result of pipes that leaked water into the walls, he said. The pipes were repaired, but moisture remained.

Mold was also found in some offices last year.

The mold issue and progress on a review of building options were discussed Monday by the county commission’s physical resources committee. Chairman Cletus Smith, R-Madison Twp., said he asked that testing for mold continue and be done more often than every two months.

Smith said commissioners are concerned with continuing to spend money on repairs to the old building they hope to replace but understand the need to provide a safe environment for people who work in it.

He said he hopes the committee will be given plans for a new construction option within a few months. A proposal for renovating a portion of the existing building was prepared last year.

In October, the commission approved a contract with a Toledo architectural firm to review a potential addition to the Rex B Martin Judicial Building to house the sheriff’s department and deal with other judicial building needs.

County administrator Martin Marshall said a study group is to meet soon for the third time, keeping the project on track for completion within six to eight months from its start last fall.

Marshall said commissioners were assured Monday that the focus remains on providing a modern, functional facility for the sheriff’s department operation. He said there were concerns that goal is getting lost in exploring options for a judicial building expansion.